My Place Or Yours?
by perpetualpathology
Summary: Tom proposes that he and Sam move in together since they've been dating for quite some time now and he wants their relationship to develop further. But he's failed to notice that his partner is hiding something from him, something that may affect their future together...


**I'm rather overwhelmed with work at college right now so I can't write any multi-chapter fics but I had this idea for a short oneshot and thought it's (probably!) better than nothing :)**

* * *

 **My Place Or Yours?**

It had been almost a year since their first date and Sam and Tom's relationship had never been spent more nights together than they did apart and that included their regular Saturday night shift they had together. As usual, they'd spent the day together relaxing and by six o'clock, they were both in the staff room preparing for the night shift.

"I've been thinking," Tom began as he secured his stethoscope around his neck.

"What have I told you about doing that?" Sam quipped.

"I'm being serious for once." Tom stated. "I just thought that seeing as we spend so much time together, maybe it would be a good idea to move in together." He suggested. It was the first time he'd given such a proposition to a woman in his life because up until he met Sam, he had been a player and relationships had never gotten serious for him. But this time it was different and he had feelings for Sam that he had never felt before.

"Um…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to put you on the spot."

"It's fine, I just wasn't expecting it." Sam admitted slowly.

"Well you don't have to reply straight away, just take some time to think about it." Tom said before he grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and swiftly walked out of the staffroom and towards reception to pick up his first patient, leaving his partner in emotional turmoil. Sam loved him more than anything and though she was apprehensive about such a big commitment, she wanted to move in with him and the thought had crossed her mind several times. But there was one problem. She had kept a secret from him since they'd met and she had been trying to keep it to herself for as long as possible. She could only hope that this situation wouldn't mean that her secret would be revealed…

* * *

Tom was taking a short break midway through his shift and he was sat at the nurses' station with a strong cup of coffee in his hands and Fletch leaning on the counter in front of him.

"Have you asked her to move in with you yet?" Fletch asked. Given that Fletch and Sam were good friends, it was only fitting that Tom got on well with the man too and they regularly chatted about the one thing they had in common: Sam.

"Yeah. She didn't really reply though, I just told her to take some time to think it through. Is it a bad sign that she didn't say yes right away?"

"No, no. It's a big decision and any sensible person would take some time to think about it." Fletch replied.

"I know it's just, I really don't want to mess this up. I think she's the one, y'know? I really want to talk to her about settling down and starting a family."

"Oh you don't know, do you?" Dylan asked before he paused at the computer next to the men – he just realised that he'd been caught earwigging. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear."

"Know what?" Tom frowned.

"Do you really think you should be moving in together when you hardly know the woman?" Dylan queried.

"Know _what_ Dylan?" Tom demanded.

"Just take care of her; she's more fragile than you think." Dylan advised before he walked off and disappeared through the double doors leading to reception.

"What does that mean?" Tom asked confusedly.

"I have no idea." Fletch shrugged.

* * *

It had been a long night shift and the sun was just beginning to rise as Sam changed back into her own clothes. After pulling on her skinny jeans, plain vest and a dark blue hoodie, She crouched down and tied up the laces on her heeled Timberland boots but when she heard the door click open behind her, she knew who had arrived.

"We need to talk–" Tom began before being interrupted abruptly.

"I need to tell you something."

"Tell me what?" Tom asked as his partner rose to her feet and turned to face him.

"Okay um… how do I put this?" She asked herself quietly. "Right, I don't want to sound like I'm trying to scare you off from moving in with me because I'm not, I really want us to move in together but it's just… there's something you should know first and you'll have a decision to make when you do know."

"What's this about?" Tom said concernedly.

"I've got a condition." Sam began slowly.

"What condition?"

"I've- It's–" She stuttered.

"Just take your time, it's okay." Tom said reassuringly as she was clearly worked up about whatever revelation she was about to make.

"The scars on my abdomen that I said were from an appendectomy, they're not from that, it was something else." Sam stated before she took a deep breath. "I've got endometriosis." She stated slowly but she kept her eyes looking down at the ground to avoid any eye contact.

"Right." Tom replied as he began to think things through. "Well it can't be that bad, can it? I mean, I've never noticed anything so it must be mild. If it was severe you wouldn't be able to hide it from me, would you?"

"Er… I…"

"Sam? You can tell me." Tom said softly as he took her hand in his.

"It's pretty advanced." Sam admitted ashamedly. "I've got inflammation on most of my pelvic organs. And I'm sorry, I know I should've told you before but it's embarrassing and I just never found the right time to bring it up–"

"It's okay, I understand. I wish you would have told me earlier, but I can guess why you didn't." Tom stated. "How are they treating it?"

"I had a laparoscopy to remove the endometrial tissue a couple of years ago when it got really bad and it was like a miracle cure but then things got pretty bad again a couple of months later and I didn't want to be having an operation 3 or 4 times a year so I had an intrauterine system implanted last year and it's gotten a bit better."

"So it's not too severe then? Don't get me wrong, I know it's probably very painful but it could be a lot worse, right?"

"Yeah but it does get quite bad sometimes. Do you remember when I was upset because I said that my best friend died in a car crash?"

"Yeah, you were crying in my arms all night."

"I made it up." Sam admitted which left Tom bewildered. "I was in agony but we'd already agreed to spend the night together and the pain just got worse and worse. The pain made my eyes water, you noticed and I had to come up with an excuse."

"Oh come here." Tom sighed as he pulled her into his arms. That night had been a very long one and if she was in physical pain rather than emotional, he couldn't imagine how hard it had been for her to keep it from him.

"Do you still want to move in with me?" Sam mumbled into his chest.

"Of course I do!" Tom laughed softly as he rubbed his hands up and down her back.

"Even if it means that I might not be able to have children?"

"Sam I'd choose a lifetime with you than with someone else just so I could have kids." Tom stated as he pulled apart from her so that he could look her in the eyes.

"Well then, there's just one more thing to decide."

"What's that?"

"My place or yours?"

* * *

 **I hope it was alright, let me know what you thought of it and if anyone has an idea for a oneshot including Sam and Tom with some details of what you'd like to happen, I'd like to have a go at expanding your idea because the Sam/Tom fandom is rather inactive at the moment and I want to keep it going!**


End file.
